/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ The SEGA SATURN Instruction Vault _/ _/ An Ishy Homepage _/ _/ _/ _/ Time Commando _/ _/ Contributed by AWOchs _/ _/ _/ /_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ PlayStation is a trademark of Sony. Time Commando is a trademark of Activision. The Instruction Vault is ŠIshy 1997 For permission to use this document on a web page, newsgroup, or any media, contact Ishy at Ishy@prodigy.net . Permission for use on a web page relating to Time Commando will more than likely be granted, but please contact me first. Note: This document is taken directly from the Time Commando Manual which is ŠActivision. At their request, this document will be deleted. Thanks to AWOchs for another great manual! The Story Sometime in the Future... When the Federation of Nations decided to go ahead with the development of its new military training center, it became inundated with proposals from weapon system consortiums bidding for the job. This new center would have the ability to create a whole range of virtual worlds and challenging combat situations in which future officers could be immersed and tested. It was the type of high-tech contract every tactical systems corporation dreamed of. After a fierce competition between top weapon system consortiums, the contract was finally given to the Otega corporation, the proprietor of Time Blaster technology. Based on the principles of tachyon physics. Time Blaster creates a "bubble" in the computer microprocessors that actually causes the time to accelerate. This time-acceleration process allows computers to be millions of times more powerful than machines of the past whose circuitry can only operate at the speed of light. This intense computer power and a mammoth historical database can be combined to simulate a vast array of worlds covering humanities past, present, and future. With this superior technology, Otega set forth to build the Historical Tactical Center (HTC). At Otega's SAVE (Special Action for Virus Elimination) Department, technical time travel agent Stanley Opar is just starting his shift. After changing into his chrono-action suit, he flicks on his task schedule. A mission list comes up on the screen. For now, it's empty. Meanwhile...at the HTC's Time Blaster unit, Betty and her team of programmers are entering phase IV of the project. They've been working around the clock to bring the system into operation for the Federation Army. Little do they know, a saboteur is in their midst. The Sawn Corporation was one of the finalists rejected for the Historical Tactical Center contract. The loss cost them billions of dollars. In an effort to avenge this humiliating defeat while securing their position as Otega's likely replacement, Sawn developed an intelligent self-morphing virus to destroy the HTC. Now one of their corporate spies has infiltrated the programming team. As the whole team works intensely at the terminal banks encircling the Time Blaster central processing unit, Betty supervises the final checks before completing phase IV. Virtual warriors generated by the HTC rotate ominously in front of the holoprojectors, while lists of tactical and strategic data flicker in plasma red. Suddenly an alarm splits the air. An emergency holo-message flashes at each terminal: SYSTEM ALERT! TIMEWARP IMMINENT! RECOMMEND PERSONNEL EVACUATION! Jumping to action, Betty quickly gives the order to de-energize the entire system. Technicians open hatches and disappear into service shafts while others desperately enter complex commands to directly access the core of the system. But it's too late; the HTC is out of control. The time bubble begins to grow rapidly. It engulfs the Time Blaster processors first and then the central processing unit itself. Everyone freezes in horror as the huge glowing sphere swells out from the center of the control room. The terminals are next to go. The blinding mass of light swallows them quickly, then expands towards the holoprojectors. Trapped in their symbiotic seats, the programmers are also absorbed. Paralyzed by fear, Betty disappears into the wall of energy. Stanley hears the Class-1 alarm as it rings through the office. A glance at the holoprojector alerts Stanley to the seriousness of the situation. Snatching his flight case, he leaps into the emergency lift. The Historical Tactical Center is swarming with frenetic activity as members of Special Security Forces dash about in all directions. A corporate executive keeps up with Stanley as he rushes through the corridors to brief him quickly on the situation. They arrive at the entrance to the control room. Stanley inserts his car in the locking mechanism. The door slides open. The size of the sphere has stabilized, now nearly filling the entire room. Stanley cautiously approaches the bubble and kneels down to examine the glowing wall and its flickering hues of light. He slowly reaches out and touches it. Without warning, ripples form on the surface as if it were liquid and engulf his arm. Stanley struggles to pull free, but there's nothing to hold on to. In an instant, he is sucked into the sphere falling endlessly into a black void... Your Objective You must destroy the powerful virus that has invaded the Historical Tactical Center's Supercomputer. Travel through eight of history's deadliest eras before arriving at the site of the virus itself. Time is against you, for the virus continues to eradicate the main computer's memory. If the computer system is completely contaminated by the virus, you will die. As you travel through time, collect as many non-infected memory circuits as possible. Each time you reach a memory upload terminal, send those healthy memory circuits back to the main computer. This will temporarily stall the virus' assault on the computer and buy you more precious time to continue your mission. Unfortunately, your journey will be slowed down by hordes of virtual enemies and numerous traps deployed by the virus. These opponents are the exact recreations of the most vicious warriors ever known during the span of man's existence. You must conquer these lethal adversaries, and terminate the virus...before time runs out. THE DEFAULT CONTROLS Basic Movement: Up Advance (if an enemy is near, small jump forward) Down Move back Right Move clockwise Left Move counter-clockwise Unarmed Combat: Square Guard Square + Left Left-handed punch Square + Right Right-handed punch Square + Up Kick Square + Down Protect/Parry Clubs and Side-Arms (club, sword, mace, etc.) Square Guard Square + Left Blow to the left Square + Right Blow to the right Square + Up Frontal attack Square + Down Protect/Parry Firearms, Missiles, Projectiles (stones, bow and arrows, guns, etc.) Square Aim Square + Left Turn left to aim Square + Right Turn right to aim Square + Up Fire/Throw Square + Down Reload Offensive Moves When in danger, you can interrupt the reload function by dodging left or right. L2 Quick dodge to the left R2 Quick dodge to the right Triangle Jump forward X Dodge backward Search/Action Circle This button is the Search/Action button. Use it to search an area in order to earn a bonus, active a mechanism, open a door, or perform another action required by the situation (e.g., climb, lie face-down). Select Weapon R1 / L1 Your current weapon is displayed in a blue box. Use the R1 button to select the next weapon available and the L1 button to select the previous one. Rapid Weapon Exchange Select Pressing the Select button stores the current weapon (blue background) and automatically stores the previously selected weapon (green background). This allows you to switch back and forth quickly between the two weapons you prefer to use most often. Pause Game Start Press the Start button to pause a game. During the break, music, and sound effects shut off and the in-game Option menu is displayed. Menu Functions The functions below refer to the default configuration game controls. To move the rotating selection frame, press the directional arrows up or down. To select an option, press the X button. To return to the previous menu, press the Triangle button. START Before beginning a new game, you can choose from three difficulty levels. We recommend that you initially play the game in Normal Mode. However, if you find the game is still too difficult, select Easy Mode. EASY - In this mode you encounter fewer and less lethal enemies, as well as more memory upload terminals. You are also altered to search zones by a two-second sound. When you hear it, press the Circle button (Search/Action). During combat, you are automatically aligned with the closest enemy when the Square button (Attack) is pressed or when a blow is delivered. NORMAL- In this level, no sound alerts you when you've entered a search area. It's up to you and your intuition to find the hidden items! HARD - In this level, the enemies are even stronger and harder to overcome. You also have more freedom of movement due to the fact that your blows are NOT automatically aimed at the closest enemy. However, you are still automatically aligned with the enemy when the Square button (Attack) is pressed. CODE This function allows you to enter an eight-letter code to enter a specific world directly. The password for each world is displayed at the beginning of each level. It is recommend that you write it down as this is your code to return to that point in the game. Each level's code retains all of your game date (i.e., energy, extra lives, non-infected memory stock). Note: There is no code for the first level. To enter the code, press the Left/Right directional arrows to select a letter-coding wheel, then use the Up/Down directional arrows to choose a letter on the wheel. Press the X button to accept. Each level's code retains all of your data up to that point in the game. OPTION SOUND - This function allows you to adjust the settings for the game sound effects and music. Use the Up/Down arrows to make a selection, and the Left/Right arrows to adjust the setting: Sound: Sets the volume of the game sound effects. Music: Adjusts the music volume. CD: Sets the volume for all sound. Stereo/Mono: Selects the sound mode you prefer. Balance: Adjusts the left and right channel balance. CONTROL EAR VIEW/FRONT VIEW - The Left/Right directional arrows enables you to display an illustration of the control from the back or the front. MODEL A, B, C, D, and E - This function allows you to choose the controller configuration that suits you best. Time Commando has five illustrated controller settings - simply scroll through them with the Left/Right arrows to make your selection. (Select Rear View/Front View of the illustration for a more complete view.) After making your selection, choose Back (Triangle) on the Option screen and press the X button to accept. Game Screen Description Player Energy Your energy level is indicated by gold energy batteries. The maximum number of batteries you can have at each time is four. Each time you are hit, your battery loses energy. When your battery level reaches zero, you die. Extra Lives Each extra life is visually represented by the Time Commando insignia. The maximum number of extra lives you can have at one time is three. Each time you die (i.e., your battery level is zero or the virus has completely contaminated the computer's memory), you can continue to play the current game if you have an extra life. In this case, your energy is recharged to the maximum level, but no more than the number of batteries. During the few seconds of flashing, you become invulnerable. Enemy's Energy Each time you're confronted by an enemy, the enemy's life bar will be displayed. When the bar is empty, the enemy is dead. Infected Memory Indicator This bar indicates the virus' gradual infection of the HTC system memory. A few minutes before the computer's memory is completely contaminated, you will hear a steady beep that grows louder as the indicator becomes full. When the indicator is completely filled, the virus takes over the system and you die. Non-Infected Memory Stock Throughout the game, you must collect as many non-infected memory circuits as possible. Represented by blue chips, these circuits must be fed into the memory upload terminals to stall the virus' progress. List of Available Weapons You enter each new world without any weapons. To obtain weapons, you can take them from a dead enemy, pick them up off the ground, or search for them throughout the various worlds. Each time you find one it is stored in your weapon inventory boxes. Additional information may be displayed above or below them, depending on the characteristics of each weapon. For those weapons that require ammunition, the total amount of ammunition available is displayed below them. Below each firearm, there's a small green bar measuring the weapon's ammunition capacity and the amount of ammunition currently loaded. Once the firearm is empty, you must reload the weapon in order to use any ammunition you still have available. Weapon Selected A yellow frame and a brighter display indicate the weapon you have in hand. Ammunition in the Weapon Charger If your weapon is a firearm, the ammunition available in the charger is displayed on the side at the bottom of the screen. Bonus Item Descriptions Healthy Memory - There are blue memory circuit chips not infected by the virus. Pick up as many of them as possible. Memory Upload Terminal - Each time you're near a memory upload terminal, place yourself in front of one of these plasmatic half-spheres and press the Search/Action button. All the healthy memory circuits you've collected will then be sent back to the main computer to stop the virus from progressing. Life Points (yellow cubes) - When you step on a yellow cube, you restore a little energy to your energy batteries. But the power you can gain is limited by your current number of batteries (1 to 4). Life Points (red cubes) - When you step on a red cube, you gain the equivalent of one battery's worth of life points. Once again, the power gained cannot exceed the number of energy batteries you currently possess. Energy Battery - Each gold battery you recuperate is added to your stockpile of energy batteries until the maximum number of batteries (4) is reached. If you pick up a new battery when you already have four, the new battery will simply dissipate. Extra Life - The game is over when your battery level reaches zero, or when the virus has contaminated all of the HTC computer's memory. However, if you have an extra life, you have another chance. You'll reappear, flashing on and off, at the spot where you died. As long as the flashing continues, you remain invulnerable. When you use an extra life, part of the infected memory is restored and your batteries' energy return to the maximum level; however, you lose one battery from your stockpile. Weapons Prehistoric Small club - The small club is light, portable and can be used to whack just about anything. Knife - The knife is deadly at close range. Rock - The rock can be thrown to knock out your enemy. Spear - The spear gets your point across! Large Club - The large club is unbearable heavy, and slow, but can do some major damage. Roman Dagger - The dagger can surprise some of your enemies. Double-Edged Sword - The double-edged sword is sharp and deadly. Sling - The sling is effective at knocking your opponents off their fee. Trident & Shield - One is for protection and the other is to get your point across! Axe - The axe is slow and heavy but causes major damage. Japanese Ninja Star - The ninja star is a sharp projectile. Ninja Sword - The ninja sword is sharp and swift. Fan Blade - The fan blade can be used to cool off your enemies. Samurai Sword - The samurai sword can make sushi out of your enemies! Samurai's Secret Flame - The secret flame can put someone's fire out. Medieval Mace - The mace can be used for some serious whacking. Sword & Shield - Use these to protect yourself while thrashing your enemy. Crossbow - The crossbow goes where swords fear to tread. Knight's Sword - Use the knight's sword for some heavy-duty slicing. Magician's Magic Spell - The magic spell is a deadly projectile. Conquistador Spanish Sword - The Spanish sword is quick, swift, and sharp. Pistol - The pistol can only fire one round before having to be reloaded. Halberd - Two blades to kill twice as fast. Blowpipe - The blowpipe shoots darts and can be used at a distance to pluck off otherwise sleepless enemies. Aztec Club - The Aztec club can pound reason into otherwise thoughtless enemies. Western Revolver - The revolver fires six quick shots. Shotgun - The shotgun is powerful but only fires two shots at a time. Rifle - The rifle shoots off many rounds quickly, it is more powerful than a revolver. Dynamite - Give your enemies a blast! Two Revolvers - Two are twice as deadly as one. Modern Wars Automatic Gun - The automatic gun fires multiple rounds. Hand Grenade - Blow'em to pieces! Bayonette Rifle - The bayonette can shoot and stab your enemies, reload often. Assault Rifle - Mow down your enemies in a hurry! Bazooka - Blow up multiple enemies at once (from a distance). Future Plasma Pistol - Fires quick lasers but has to be reloaded. Rapid-Fire Cannon Arm - Heavy and slow but does a lot of damage. Yo-Yo - Yo-yo with mono-molecular thread; deadly at close distance. Thermic Grenade - Like a hand grenade but much deadlier! Space Suit - Protection from the vacuum of space. Virus Crystal - Shoot at enemies to bring them down. Credits Adeline Software International Original Idea: Frederick Raynal Design Director: Didier Chanfray Project Manager: Serge Plagnol Lead Programmer: Olivier Lhermite Programmer: Mickeal Pointier Game Life Programmers: Pascal Dubois, Thierry Brochart, Sylvain Truchet Additional Programmers: Marc Bureau du Colombier, Frantz Cournil 3D Objects & Animation Design: Pual-Henri Michaid, Arnaud Lhoomme, Sabine Marlat, William Ratajczak, Xavier Wibaut 3D Scenery Design: Benoit Boucher, Ludovic Rubin, Merlin Pardo, Virginie Altayrac 3D Movie Sequences: Frederic Taquet Special Contributors: Laurent Salmeron, Yael Barroz Test Manager: Emmanuel Oualid Main Testers: Jean-Philippe Monie, Thomas Ferraz, Alexis Madinier Delphine Editorial Team: Philippe Delararre, Anne-Marie Joassim, Victor Perez, Marie-Pierre Meyrignac, Line Pastaleniec, Stephanie Louzier Activision Producer: Marc Bennett Product Evangelists: Bill Anker, Marc Bennett, Mich Lasky Product Marketing Managers: Henry Siegel, Bob Pettit QA Director: Jon Doellstedt QA Manager: Dave Arnspiger QA Project Leads: Edward J. Tretter, Jay Sosnicki, Marty Stratton Intro/Close Movie Audio Supervisor: Michael Schwartz Intro/Close Movie Dialogue & Sound Design: Marc Bennett, Henry Siegel, Raphael Simon, Jay Sosnicki Intro Movie Narration: Jay Sosnicki Documentation Manager: Mike Rivera Cross Production: Mark Lamia, Adam Goldberg, Frankie Tam Media Specialist: Kevin Cohen Game Analyst: Bryant Bustamante Package Design: Jim Bridges Public Relations: Joanne Blum